This study aims to design an optimal media governance model for Iran in response to the challenges arising from the convergence of "discursive competition" and the "platform ecosystem." The core problem is "governance lag" and the inefficiency of traditional regulatory structures (such as SATRA) in dealing with comprehensive audio-visual platforms, which has led to structural conflicts, identity challenges, and heightened cognitive sensitivities, particularly among women and adolescents. Employing a "sequential exploratory mixed-methods" design, the qualitative phase utilized directed content analysis of 50 selected domestic policy and research documents (2021–2025) and international literature to extract governance components. Through axial and selective coding, these were organized into three main themes: "structural deadlock," "identity challenges," and "technological neglect" (reliability confirmed with inter-coder agreement of 0.87 and test-retest of 0.91). In the quantitative phase, the strategic weight of components was determined through weighted frequency-based prioritization analysis. The findings indicate that current governance, by focusing on "content auditing," has neglected "algorithmic governance" and become trapped in false security-freedom dichotomies. Moreover, neglecting the economic roots of inefficiency—including platforms' reliance on advertising revenue and unequal competition with state-affiliated institutions—renders any purely legal solution futile. The literature review also reveals a clear absence of an interdisciplinary model linking platforms' technical logic with the requirements of identity coherence. The outcome is a triadic model (structural, identity, technological) that critiques the securitization discourse and moves beyond prohibitive approaches. It emphasizes "participatory network governance," "cognitive resilience," and "negotiation-based algorithmic regulation" to achieve a transition to "smart cognitive governance." This model proposes a hybrid of macro-level framework-setting and bottom-up participation, highlighting the role of platforms, civil society, and users as collaborators in the regulatory process.